Meet Tamsin Kaufman | Sala Studio, Auckland, NZ

Get to know holistic and cacao ceremony queen. With a mission of re-establishing vital health and well-being naturally, Tamsin is renowned for hosting cacao ceremonies and natural medicine workshops across Aotearoa.

Hey, who are you? What do you do and where do you live?

My name is Tamsin Kaufman. I am a medical herbalist and naturopath, cacao ceremony facilitator and health educator based between the wild shores of Piha, and the rolling hills of Mangaroa Farms in Wellington. Essentially a nomadic plant witch.

How did you find cacao? How did you start facilitating ceremonies? 

I’ve always been on the plant path… I’ve had a calling to work with plant medicines for as long as I can remember, which lead me to study Natural Medicine and start working for a beautiful company called Seleno Health which specialises in organic & fair trade plant medicines of Peru. They launched their ceremonial cacao range just as I started working for them, and at that moment my heart-expanding journey with cacao began! They initiated me with the passing of their knowledge, to start running my own workshops and ceremonies, which awakened a destiny that was always mine. 

Do you follow any rituals? 

I love my morning routine. Morning yoga or a workout, pranayama breathing, journaling whatever comes to mind, a few affirmations, a moment for mindfulness and gratitude with cacao, followed by a nourishing breakfast. Always incense or sage burning… sometimes an oracle card or two to spark the flow of internal wisdom. 

My evening practices to support relaxation and decompression of the day include an outdoor bath, lots of herbal teas, meditation on my Shakti mat and reading. Always in candlelight. 

For me, these are the tools for ultimate well-being and self-care. 

What other practices do you live by that support your mindset and mood?

Creating sacred space daily. Blessing water before drinking or bathing. Take a moment for gratitude before consuming a meal. Making the most out of the micro-moments with deep presence.

Why is rest important? Describe your dream rest day…

Rest is so important, and it’s importance is not highlighted enough in this day and age! Rest allows our nervous system to recalibrate, it allows the deepest reflections to come through and allows us to integrate all that we do when we are busy. Filling our own cups with rest and self care practices allows us to function from a full place, as opposed to half full. 

Rest and ritual allows us to extend our energy into the world around us, like a torus field emanating from the heart, attracting our desires towards us as we tap into this indistinguishable life force. 

My dream rest day is a cosy day snuggled up by the fire with a good book, an empty canvas and some paint...rain pattering on the roof…nourishing food, with nothing to do and nowhere to be.

Wellbeing is…?

Wellbeing is a feeling of balance of all elements within - mental, physical, emotional, spiritual… which creates a profound feeling of presence, aliveness and vitality. Loving the core of your being and functioning from heart space. 

How do you motivate yourself to get moving when you’re low energy? 

Remind me it’s okay to feel low energy and unmotivated. Feeling into what my body actually wants to do - is it rest? Is it a light movement? Is it a workout? Is it a walk? Releasing rigidity and rather stepping into full permission to feel and acknowledge what my body wants to do. Often my choice, when I’m low energy, is to get outside and allow nature to enliven me! A brisk walk and a couple of burpees (maybe even a cold dip) always do the trick. 

What are your go-to wellness tips? 

Drink more water. Eat the rainbow. Eat mostly plants. Eat probiotic foods. Move daily. Limit screen time. Spend time alone. Plan downtime for yourself daily. Incorporate self-care rituals into daily life. Get outside. Put your hands and feet on the earth. Let go of relationships that don’t serve your soul. Do what makes you feel good and make that your top priority!  

What’s your star sign? Are you typical of your sign? 

Libra. I would say I’m a typical libra… always striving for balance and harmony, and often tipping the scales from one extreme to the other. Oh, and Libras get easily love drunk. Definitely me. I love love.

What’s your go-to skin care routine?

Less is best! My skin loves coconut oil as a moisturiser. Rose water or pH 6 Beauty water from my Kangen machine as a toner. Mud masks for the pores. Tea tree oil in a carrier oil on blemishes if any. Otherwise, Antipodes products are the go-to!

What’s a hangover cure you swear by?

Chugging down a few glasses of Kangen Water, a liposomal vitamin C sachet, and a piece of peanut butter and jam on toast before bed. Works a charm.

What’s the secret to a happy life? 

Presence and gratitude. Focus on the positive and lead from the heart. Celebrate being alive, for that’s all that we truly came here to be.